U.S. Lifts Visa Ban on Nigerian, Other Foreign Doctors Amid Healthcare Shortage

The United States has reversed a recent visa ban that had barred Nigerian and other foreign physicians from practicing in the country, restoring their ability to obtain and renew visas.

The policy change comes as the U.S. faces a major shortage of medical professionals, with foreign-trained doctors playing a vital role in filling the gap.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that visa applications for medical doctors will now be processed, ending months of uncertainty for many healthcare professionals affected by the earlier restrictions.

The Department had earlier implemented a measure tied to a January travel ban covering citizens from 39 countries, which halted decisions on visa extensions, work permits and green cards.

The policy left many international medical professionals in limbo, with some placed on administrative leave and others at risk of losing their jobs in already strained health systems.

However, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated its website late last week, without formal announcement, indicating that physicians are now exempt from the processing suspension. The Department of Homeland Security later confirmed the change.

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In a statement, DHS said that “Applications associated with medical physicians will continue processing,” signalling that visa and work permit adjudications for doctors would resume.

The reversal comes as the United States continues to face a significant shortage of medical professionals.

The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates a deficit of about 65,000 physicians, a gap expected to widen as demand for healthcare increases and older doctors retire.

Foreign-trained doctors play a major role in filling that gap. More than 60 percent of them work in primary care fields such as family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics—areas often avoided by U.S.-trained physicians due to demanding workloads and comparatively lower pay.

“I am glad that the administration took measures to ensure that we can keep our dedicated international physicians,” said Dr. Rebecca Andrews, chair of the Board of Regents for the American College of Physicians as quoted by The New York Post. “We need to recruit the most skilled doctors no matter where they are from,” she said.

Overall, foreign physicians make up about 25 percent of the U.S. medical workforce, with many coming from Africa, the Middle East and Venezuela among those most affected by the earlier restrictions.

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One of those impacted was Ezequiel Veliz, a Venezuelan family doctor. He lost legal status after delays in processing his new visa and was detained by federal agents on April 6 at a checkpoint in Texas. He was released 10 days later.

Concerns over the policy had prompted widespread backlash from the medical community. On April 8, more than 20 medical associations—including the American academies of family physicians, neurology and pediatrics—sent a letter to the secretaries of state and homeland security warning of severe consequences.

The groups expressed “urgent concern” about barriers preventing “qualified, vetted physicians” from entering and remaining in the United States, and called for a national-interest exemption and faster processing of affected cases.

Despite the policy shift, uncertainty remains for many doctors already caught in the system.

“Affected physicians have not yet been notified about any changes in their visa process, but we are hopeful after seeing this update,” said Sebastian Arruarana, founder of Project IMG, which supports thousands of international medical graduates in the U.S.

He warned that around 1,000 doctors completing residencies and fellowships in underserved areas could still face disruptions, alongside hundreds of others scheduled to begin training programs soon.

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According to report in Sunday Vanguard, legal experts and advocates have welcomed the exemption as a necessary correction.

Curtis Morrison, a lawyer involved in multiple lawsuits over delayed immigration processing, described the move as “a great development for physicians and health care in the U.S.”

The policy shift follows a series of immigration restrictions introduced under President Trump, including a June travel ban covering 19 countries and a broader expansion to 39 countries in January, echoing earlier bans from his first term.